Scanning recorder



1952 H. A. STAMPER EIAL ,9

SCANNING RECORDER Filed Jan. 12, 1951 2 SHEETSSHEET 1 IN5LATION 27 47 24 33 612 40 5g v INSULATION fi 32 INVENTORS HASfamper B. G. B/ackman D.0.Ne/son ATTORNEY Oct. 21, 1952 H. A. STAMPER EIAL 2,614,903

SCANNING RECORDER 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed Jan. 12, 1951 w lllll I R 9; w m m w T i Tw W 8PM f.

INVENTORS H. A. Sfamper B. G. B/ackmon D. 0. Nelson ATTORNEY Patented Oct 21, 1952 SCANNING RECORDER Hamilton A. Stamper, Birt G. Blackman, and Donald 0. Nelson, Los Angeles, Calif., assignors to Bendix Aviation Corporation, South Bend,

Ind., a corporation of Delaware Application January 12, 1951, Serial No. 2 05.771

This invention relates to recording instruments in which record marks are made on a papertape or the like by electrically energizing a stylus that is repeatedly traversed or scanned across thetape. i d

An object of the invention is to simplify and reduce the cost of the mechanism for traversing the stylus across the tape. Another object is to reduce the to traverse the stylus.

Another object isto provide a scanning. recorder having a scanning mechanism 'of ex tremely simple and inexpensive type in which the record is not obscured by the scanning mechanism, and in which newly-recorded marks are immediately visible. V

Gther more specific objects and. features of the invention will appear from the description to follow: 1 1

power required There is disclosedin application for'U.S. Letters Patent of H. A. Stamper, Serial No. 42,052, filedAugust 2, 1948, and since issued as Patent 2,593,068 on April 15, 1952, a novel scanning-recorder in 'whichscanning is effected by a long, flexible spring wire stylus member secured at one end to the periphery of a light;

rotating; drummounted substantially perpendicular tdthe paper and closely adjacent thereto. The stylus member is adapted to bend around the'drum as its tip dragsacross the tape from one side thereof to the other, in response to the drum rotation. By locating the axis of the vdrum adjacent the trailing edge of the tape (with respect to the direction of stylus movement) the stylus winds about the drum throughout the time oftraverse of the tape by the stylus tip; In other'words, during traverse of the stylus tip across the tape, it moves substantially tangent to the" drum at a uniform speed-equalto' the peripheral speed of the drum. After thestylus tip leaves the tape the stylus unwinds from the drum while the latter is turning through the angle necessary to again bring the tip back to' the leading edge of the tape.

' The scanning mechanism disclosed in this prior application has the great advantage that the-stylus and the drum can be of very light clinstruction so that the assembly can be rota'ted by a relatively small motor. A disadvantage of the particular construction disclosed in said application is that the stylus drum is mounted perpendicular to the paper tape at the scanning paththereacross that is traversed by the stylus tip, and this necessitates either th'at'the drum project a considerable distancein A front 'of' the plane of thatporti-on of the tape that is viewed, or that the tape be bent around a sharp corner immediately before it is brought into view, and the drum mounted substantially parallel to the plane of the portion of the tape 14 Claims. (Cl. 346139) Cir that is exposed in view. It is sometimes undesirable in practice to position the drum in front of that portionof the tape that is exposed to view, and it' is objectionable toscan a portion of the tape that is not in view because the newly made record is then not immediately visible. l a

The present 'inventionovercomes the mentioned defects of the prior structure by mounting the drum parallel to and approximately in the plane of the stretch of the record tape that is exposed to view, and providing a stylus guiding bar or track in front of the tape that restrains the stylus tip to linear movement while the stylus is traversing the record tape.

A full understanding. of the invention and the advantages thereof may be had from the following detailed description with reference to the drawing, in which: l

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a depth recorder incorporating a stylus mechanism in accordance with the invention, a portion of the case being broken away to show the interiorelements.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation view of the apparatus, with portions of theucase broken away to disclose the interior construction.

Fig. 3 is a detailed-verticalisection taken in the plane III-III of Fig. 1. l

' Fig. 4 is a detailed vertical section taken in the plane IV--IV of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a detailed view showing an alternative form of stylus. l i

.Fig. 6 is a detailed view similar to Fig. 5, but showing still another. alternativeform of stylus.

Fig. 7 is a detailed section taken in the plane VII--VII of Fig. 6 showing the manner of attachingthe stylus to the drum; and l i Fig. 8 is a schematic diagram of a circuit that maybe employed with the invention.

Referring to Fig. 1, there is shown a record blank consistingof a paper tape in which, duringoperation of the recorder; is slowly unwound from a. roll H and drawn around the end of a backing plate l2, and across the front of that plate, bya pair of feed rollers 13 and I4, from which it flows through a slot' ii in the side of the case [6. The roll I l of paper tape is supported upon a supply roller l1 (Fig. 4) which is freely rotatably supported in a socket l8 mounted on the base IQ of the instrument. The roller I! is provided with a flange llaat its lower end, to support the roll II. To afford resistance to rotation of the roll H, a brake consisting of a curved leaf spring 20 is provided at the upper end thereof. This spring 20 is roller" 11.

is provided on the stud 22 between the upper end of the post 23 and the leaf spring 28, and

anut 25 is provided on the stud 22 above the leaf spring'20.

It will be observed from. Fig;

4 that the leaf spring 20 bearsagainstthe roll- H at the upper outer edge'the'reo'f, thereby applying a braking action to the roll II at its outer periphery irrespective of how much tape is on the roll. This provides a'relatively constant braking force whether the roll II is large or is small The extent of the braking forc canbe'variedby adjustin the nut 25..

-Thev Opposite ends o f the backing: plate I2 are curved, as clearly shown -;in, Fig.;and may be supported by posts-,l2aandgl2 -extending upwardly from the base [8.

The feeder roller l3;is' preferably knurled at the center, as indicated at l 3a in Fig. 2, and is supported at its lower end. ,for rotation in a bearing aperture in thebase l9, and is supportediatgitsl upper end in a bearing aperture in; a .plate- 21 that is supported by. a pair'of posts 2Band 29y extending upwardly from the base-l9. The feed roller [3 is positively driven at a; constant speed: by-a small constant-speed electric motor .30,which ismounted on-the unthe roller -l=3-and is placed :in driving relation thereto. by a: conventional tongue and groove couplingv 30b. Theidler'roller 14 may be rotatabIysupported in'a yoke 32 '(Fig. 3) which is pivotally supported '0n af1Zl0SfiT33 extending upwardly-from the base [9. Autorsion spring 34 on the post' 33iengages the crossbar portion 32a of the yoke and applies aconstant torque thereto to urge the idler roller l4 against the paper tape I0: and press the latter against the drive roller .The record: tape In is adapted to be used in depth recording and is shown as having recorded thereon a base line [0a and adepth indicating linelflbu Each of the lines 'llla and 3b consists' really-:of aplurality of short vertical incrementspositioned so close. together as to form substantially continuous record lines. These increments are successively recorded by the tip 36a of a stylusmember 36, which is repeatedly dragged across the tape from top to bottom, and has afppliedthereto electrical impulses, the timing of :which' determines the vertical ,positions of the increments on the tape. .The pres ent invention resides primarily ;.in the stylus structure and the mechanism for moving it across the/tape;- Ill; l

As shown in Fig. 2, the stylus member 36 consists of a; length of sprin wire, one end of which is secured .to and extends from the periphery of a rotating stylus carrier in the form-"0f a drum 31,- and thefree end or tip 360:. of which contacts-the paper tape It! and consitutes the actual stylus. An intermediate portion 36b of thestylusmember 36, near the tip 36a, is shapedv to engage a closedtrack member 38 which guides the end of the stylus member during the rotatdn bfthe drum 31, a

a It, will be observed from- Fig. 2' that the tip 33 a'bf thje'stylus member 36,,isin positionto f orm an increment inthe base linelfla on t e tape, and that the track contacting portion 36b of the stylus-member is; engaging? a "straight vertical section of thetrack, 3:8. 1 It -wil-lfurther.

be noted that the stylus member 36 is being member being .moved downwardly at a sub-- stantially constant speed while the portion 36b of the stylus member is traversing the straight sectionof the track 38, and this will result in the path of the tip 36!; across the tape Ill being substantially vertical and straight. After the. track-engaging portion 36b of the stylus member has passed th'e vertical straight por: tion-of the track 38,-itmoves over a lower 'cire cular traclr section substantially, concentric with respect to the hub 31, during which interval the stylus remains largely wrapped around the drum. Thereafterit moves over a short vertical straight section which gradually curvesoutwardly. at the upper end to permit the stylus 36 to unwrap from the drum preparatory to its next run down- Wmdly through the vertical, fworking v xprtiorrof its travel. Y -.1.,-.;"

To supportlthe track.,38 it is welded or brazed;

at its lower end. to a supporting web 4qiw-hich extends upwardly from a traclr} base 4| which is pivotally held against theibase 1 l9 by a pivot screw 43at one end... At the otherendofthe track base 4| there is provided an,upstandi;ng pin 44 which is engaged by a slot 45w,- one end of a lever 45 which is fulcrumedto the base 19 by a screw 46. The .pivot screws ;-43,;and 46 hold the track base 4| against the mainichassis base IS with suflicient friction to retainpitin whatever position it may be movedtor- I-Iowe ever, the .left end of the base 4i maybe shifted by oscillating the lever '45. vThis adjusting movement is provided to permit adjustmentiof' the tip 36a of the stylus member into proper recording contact with-thepapertape l0,

The drum 31 is mounted onthe outeriendiio the shaft 48 of a constant-speed motor-49:; Rosie tioned .concentrically about the shaft; 48,;bee tween the motor49 and the drum'-3l-,,is a: com-v mutator structure 50 whichis mountedagainst the face of the motor 49 and yieldably vheld against rotation by spring clips 51. -Ash2tndle 52 extending upwardlyfrom rthe comn utator structure 50 permits limited oscillation. oi'ythe commutator structure for phasing adjustment. One end 360 ofv the stylus member-:36,- which is the end thereof opposite the stylustip 36a, ex-

tends from the drum 3! against the-face of the commutator -50,and' constitutes a brush coopcrating with the commutator segments 50a, 50b, 50c and 50d to control the electrical; circuit of a depth recorder. v p p Various methods maybe employed foranchor ing the stylus member vto the hub 31, butia cone venient method isto form a recess3'la. (Figh extending inwardly from the periphery of-the hub 31 and enlarged interiorly. The-stylus mem-[ Although a stylus member consisting of a simple spring wire has been satisfactory in most applications, it may be desirable in order to secure more accurate tracking in a straight path at constant speed to employ special constructions of the stylus member which provide greater resilience on yieldabilitynear the end attached to the carrier or drum 3! than'nearthe'free end. Two stylus structures having this characteristic, are illustrated in Figs. 5 andxd. i I i g :In; Fig. 5, the stylus member 36] instead of being formed of wire is formed of strip sheet stock of: increasing cross-sectional area from the end attached to the carrier or hub 17017116 free end. It is alsodesirable to provide relative .stiflness to lateral movement, and to this end thestylus member 36!. is wider at theend attached to the carried or hub 31 than it is atthe free end, but the cross-sectional area is dimini'shed near the carrier end by providing. an elongated slot 36min the flexing portion of the stylus. which slot. is of substantially greater width at the carrierend than at the free end. Therefore, the twoarms Hill: on opposite sides of the slot 36m are of progressively greater width I from the carrier end toward the free end. With theconstruction of Fig, 5, the contact for the commutator =36'l-c may consist of a piece of wire soldered, brazed or welded to that portion36ld than at the free tend; This provides greater yieldability to longitudinal bending around the drum .3! where the convolutions areof large amplitude than where they are of smaller ama s -1 a t it t The lines Ida and "lb are-formed on the record tape by an electrical discharge from the stylus tip 36a, and therefore the stylus member 36 and the track 38 are insulated from the frame of the instrument; The stylus member 376 isinsulatedfrom the motor shaft 48 by formingthe drum 31 of insulating material. .The track 38 is insulated from the frame of the instrument by providing an insulating strip between the track base 4| and the chassis base I9, and providing insulating bushings 6| between the base U and the screw 43, andbetween the pin 44 and the lever 45. Desired electrical connection to the stylus member 36 is provided through the brush section 360 of the stylus and the commutator segments 50a, 50b, 50c andfifld, to which connections aremade, as shown in the schematic diagram of Fig. 8. Thus the short segment 50b is connected through a double-throw switch 10 and a condenser II to the control grid 12 of a tube 13, the cathode"! of which is connected to ground, and the anode 15 of which is connected through a resistor 16 to the positiveterminal of stylus member, and produces a discharge from the stylus tip 36a. through thepaper Hito the backing plate [2 to produce an increment in the base line. Both plates of the condenser 13 were previously at the potential of the B supply 11. the positive terminal of whichv is connected through a. reactanceelement l9 and axhigh resistance leak to the segment 50a. Thecondenser 18 is charged by contact of a brush 360 with the segments 5!") and 50a, since normally the high resistance 80 bridging the condenser 18 maintains it in discharged. condition. V

The potentialderived from the, condenser 1-8 is also applied through the segment 50a and the brush section .360 to the segment 5019,11 and through the switch 10 and the condenser H to the control grid 12: of the tube 13, causing that tube to become conductive (it being normally rendered non-conductive by the negative potential of a biasing battery 8| which is connected to the grid through a grid leak 82). When the tube 13 becomes conductive, a condenser 83 con-- nected between the anode 15 of the tube and a tap 84 on an inductance element 85 is suddenly discharged through the lower portion of the inductance element 85 to ground, the current shocking an oscillatory circuit constituted by the inductance 85 and the distributed capacity of a transmission line 86 which connects: the inductance 85 to a transducer 81. The resultant oscillations energize the transducer, causing it to transmit sonic waves. of corresponding frequency. When an echo from the transmitted sonic waves is received by the transducer 81 it produces corresponding electric waves which are applied through the transmission line 86 and a resistance element 88 to the input end of an amplifier 89'. the output end of which is connected by the condenser 18 to the segment 58a, and thence to the stylus 36 and through the paper tape H! to the backing plate [2,,producing another increment in'the' depth line lob. V

It is to be understood that the general circuit of Fig. 8 as so far described is only one of many that can be used with recording apparatus described, and doesnot constitutes. part of the present invention. n

"The contacts 500 and 50d, and thefswitch T0 are provided for the purpose of doubling the depth range of the recorder. when the switch 10 is thrown to the right to connect the commutator segment 50:1 to the grid 12 of the tube13, the latter is fired at the time the brush 36c interconnects the segments 50d and 50c, which occurs substantially in advance of the contact of segment 50a. by the brush 36. The dis-' tance between the contacts 50d and 50b is so chosenthat the time interval between intercomnection-of the segments-50d and 500 by the brush- 360, and the interconnection of the segments 50b and 5011' by the brush, is equal to the time interval required for the stylus tip 36a. to traverse theirecord tape. Therefore, followinginterconnection of the segments 50d and 500 by the brush 36c,'thesstylus tip 36:: does not contact the upper edge of the recording area of the tape until sufficient time has elapsed to permitmthesonic impulses from the transducerB'I to go to the bottom and return, when the distance to the bottom is equal to or greater'than the maximum recording depth of the instrument when theswitch H1 is inleft, position. The net-result is that if the normal maximum depth of recording is 50 fathoms, the range can be extended tocover depths from .50 ,to-lOO fathoms by throwing the switch 10 from its left to its right position.

the contact ofthestylus-tip 36av with the record paper, and no rec'ordofthe base line a. is made. -.=.'Although for the' purpose of explaining theinventiona particular embodiment'thereof has been shown and described, obvious modifications will desire 'to' be limited to the exact details shown' and described. I

irweiclajmf A A -1 Apparatus of the type described comprising: means for supporting and moving a-sheet record in transversely flat shape through a fixed record;

path past a fixed straight 'scanning path extend ing transversely across said recordpath; a scanning mechanism'positioned entirely on the front sideof said record pathand including a stylus carrier and an elongated-resilient stylus member attached at one end to sa idcarrier and having a free sca ning" end; means rotatably supporting:

saidcarrier for continuousrota'tion about afixed' axisf'andmean's for rotating it; said resilient linear travel through said'scanni'ng path."' 2. Apparatus according to claim 1 .in' whiclil said guide member constitutes aportion of.. a closed traclc approximately in the plane of rotatlon ofsaid stylus membenjand engaging ancl guiding 'said' stylus member throughout each revolution of the stylusmember.

said recordpathcomprises a flat viewing section extending from said scanning pathin the direction of movement of said record, the plane of ro tation of said stylus member is approximately parallelz-to and in front of the plane of saidflat viewing section of said record path and said stylus carrier is positioned ahead of, said guide,

member, whereby said viewing sectioni-of; said. record path is unobstructed by said scanning mechanism. i

4. Apparatus according to claim l'in which' the axis of rotation of said stylus carrier is in a plane substantially normal to andintersec'tingsaid: scanning path at the trailing end thereof, whereby'said stylus member is increasingly bent during traverse of said scanning pathby said free end.

from the point of attachment of the stylus member to. the carrier, for the stylus member to bend occarto persons skilled in the art and we do'not r 8 around 'during'traverse of' the scanning path-by said free end. i 2 6.-Apparatus according to claim .5. intwhich said carrier is so spaced from saidrscanningipath' V that during movement of said stylus end through said scanning path. the "portion of V said stylusmemberbetween the free endlthereofiand said peripheral portion of the carrier issubstantially:

parallel to said scanning path.

7. Apparatus according: to claimql which saidstylus carrier has a peripheral surface containing a'recess,='- and said stylus. member com=' prises an elongated spring metal'element having. aloop' therein dimensioned to fitfinSand be re:- tained by saidrecess, one end of said elementex tending-from said carrier" substantially tangene tially when said loop is positionedin andengaged by saidrecess; l A w 2.5 2 ii-Apparatus according :to claim 7 includinga stationary electrical contact structure adjacent said carrie'rgand in which that portion of'said,

carrier in contact with said spring metalelement is'o'f electrical insulating materiaLandtheo'th'er end of said elementextends-fromsaid' carrier into-slicling contact with said stationary contact tructure; 1. I '21:. i 9. Apparatus according tol claim l'in which said resilient stylus member has progressively increasing stiffness to longitudinal-bendingfrom the end thereof attached'to s'aid'carrier-toth e free end. a s i 10; Apparatus a'ccording' to claim which said stylus member comprises a wire laterally convoluted from side 'toside alongit's length. a

11. Apparatus according to claim "10 in which the amplitude of the convolution's of'said-wire decreases from'the carrier end to the free endof the stylus member. a l 12. Apparatus according to' cl'aim'1fi1i-wlii ih said stylus'member comprises ian'elongated spring element of progressively'increasing cross-section; al area from its 'carrierend to its free end,;' "13. Apparatus according to claim-1 includi g means supporting said guide member foradju ing movement toward and'away from said r'e ord path, and means for moving said guide member to vary the contact pressure of the stylus against t e I 1'. "14'. Apparatus according to clai'm l' including a Apparatus. according to claim 1 in r stationary electricalcontact'structurecomprising' a plurality of contacts and means insulatingly supporting said contacts-adjacent andconcentric" to the axis of said carrier;"said-stylus memberhaving an extension extending from the stylus member adjacent its point of attachment to tlre carrier into sliding contact with said contacts far closing said contacts {in syn'chronism with the movement of said'stylus member; MHAMILTON ASIAMPER -BIRT G. BLACIQHAN';

' DONALD 0; NELSONQ' REFERENCES CITED: a

The following references are of' rec' ord' in the? I file of this patent} H w UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name I Date 1,953.869 Sadgebury Apr. 3;"19'3'4" 2,121,902 Grist, Jr. 'June 28, 1938' 2,511,195 Buhrendorf et al. June 13,1950" 2,539,553 Rich Jan.'30,- 1'951 2,557,196 1 Nelson June 19,- 1951 2,561,345

Deloraine v J lly-a4 1951 

